University Ministries News

Silver Wolves connects #Bona students, local elderly community

Nov 20, 2018 |

By Emily Knitter
Music filled the room as Lucy Sauter looked around, smiling at everyone, including herself, wearing Christmas sweaters and decorating a tree in the main room. As she assisted the residents of Eden Heights Assisted Living Center in making snowmen out of white socks and stuffing for their grandchildren, Sauter said you could feel the happiness of all involved.

This memory from last year is Sauter’s favorite so far from the three years she has volunteered with St. Bonaventure University’s Silver Wolves program.

The program was established in 2015 by Katelin Brooks and Colleen Corey as a way to connect university students with the local elderly population.

Connected freshman year by her sister, who was roommates with Corey, Sauter, a Livonia, N.Y., native, was initially drawn to the program as a way to learn about the community.

“It felt so nice to get off campus and start getting involved,” she said. “I loved playing games with the residents and hearing the stories they all had to share.”

The summer after her freshman year, Sauter was asked to become a coordinator for Silver Wolves.

“I was very excited to help keep the club going,” she said. “I co-coordinated the club with [Corey] my sophomore year and I am now coordinating the club in my junior year.”

Silver Wolves is one of many student-run programs that exist under the supervision of St. Bonaventure University’s Franciscan Center for Social Concern (FCSC).

While the programs vary in focus from mentoring children to sustainable farming, the overarching intention is always to show students the many ways they can become involved in their community and contribute in a meaningful way to social concerns

“Being involved with Silver Wolves has taught me how important it is to get involved,” Sauter said. “I believe it is very important to work with different generations.”

This year, to support Silver Wolves and the other programs similar to it, the FCSC will be hosting a one-day fundraiser called #GivingTuesdayatBonas on Nov. 27.

In response to the nation-wide “giving Tuesday” movement, which urges Americans to give to their favorite charities during the holiday season, the FCSC is focusing on raising money and awareness for the local community. “I would tell anyone who is interested in joining Silver Wolves how much of an impact we make on the lives of residents and also how much of an impact they make on our lives,” said Sauter.

“Because of them, I’ve learned to take advantage of life each and every day. All of the residents have so many amazing stories to share about what they did in their lives and how they helped others. I hope that when I am older I can look back on amazing memories like they do.”

To learn more about #GivingTuesdaysatBonas and how you can support programs like the Silver Wolves, visit www.sbu.edu/GivingTuesdayatBonas now through Nov. 27 to donate and use the hashtag on all social media channels to help spread the word. For more information or to make a gift by phone, please contact Advancement Services at (716) 375-2330.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, we believe in the goodness of every person and in the ability of every person to do extraordinary things. St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them. Named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. News and World Report, we are establishing pathways to internships, graduate schools and careers in the context of our renowned liberal arts tradition.